Leaving Words
by narutoprincess
Summary: When Nick comes home and finds a letter from his girlfriend, he goes over the highs and lows of their relationship. Nick/OC


**Leaving Words**

Nick knew the moment he got home that something was wrong. The door was partially open. He never left his door UNLOCKED, never mind partially open. He opened the door and called out into the darkness of the apartment to his girlfriend.

"Carla?"

No response. He flicked on the light. The couch was gone, along with the TV and the little table lamp that he'd knocked over at least fifty times.

"Shit."

He went through all the other rooms in the apartment. All of Carla's stuff was gone. She'd even taken the sheets from their bed. On the night table, he found a note. It was in her handwriting. Nick picked it up and began to read.

_Dear Nick,_

_When you get this, I'll be gone. I can't deal with this any more._

He wondered where she'd be going. Back home to her parents in Abilene? Or maybe just across town? He continued to the next part of the letter.

_You said when we first moved in with each other that the apartment was temporary and we'd move into a nice house in the suburbs. It's been two and a half years Nick. _

Nick remembered when they'd found the apartment.

--

"And that's about it. Any questions?"

Nick looked at Carla. She was clinging to his arm, smiling, totally happy. He looked the real estate agent.

"Nope. It's perfect."

The real estate agent grinned.

"Then it's settled. If you could just sign here Mr. Stokes."

Nick took the pen from the real estate agent and signed the paper. Then Carla signed. The real estate agent took the papers and turned to the two.

"Okay, that's it. I'll call you, Mr. Stokes, in a couple days to tell you when you can move in."

"Sounds great," Carla said excitedly.

--

Nick stopped the car in front of her apartment, but she didn't get out. Nick smiled at her.

"What's up?"

"Nothing. I'm just so happy we're moving in with each other."

"Well, it's just a temporary apartment. I promise we'll move somewhere nicer soon."

"As long as I'm with you, I don't care where we live."

She kissed him on the lips lightly, but soon the kiss gre more passionate. Then, as if they realized that they were in a running car, they pulled apart. Carla got out of the car and started walking towards the door. Nick watched to make sure she got in safe. She turned around and blew him a kiss. He blew her one back. Then she went in the door and he drove to the other side of Dallas to his condo.

--

_I never see you anymore Nick. You're always working. Even when I plan things for us to do, you always blow me off because of work._

At first Nick thought she was exaggerating. Then he remembered his birthday.

--

Nick woke to the smell of bacon and eggs drifting through the apartment. He walked into the kitchen and saw Carla there, cooking up a storm. She turned around and greated him with a kiss.

"Morning birthday boy. I made you some breakfast."

"Awww, you shouldn't have"

But that didn't stop Nick from scarfing down the delicious breakfast Carla had made him. By the time he had finished, Carla was all dressed and ready to leave for work. She kissed Nick on the cheek, turned to the door, then turned back to Nick.

"Remember. Our reservations are at 8 p.m."

Nick got up laughing and kissed Carla on the forehead.

"I'll be there. I promise."

Carla smiled and walked out the door. Nick went back to his breakfast. Then he noticed the time. He was running late for work. He got ready in record time and made it to the Dallas Crime Lab in about fifteen minutes. When he got inside, everyone was rushing around. His coworker Harry flagged him down.

"Bad day to be late Nick."

"What's going on?"

They dodged an oncoming lab tech carrying two boxes of evidence. Harry continued.

"Quatruple homicide. Local politician and his family. It's a messy, messy case Nick. We're going to be pulling triples."

Nick groaned but began to help his friend sort through the evidence.

--

"Book him Roger."

Nick watched as the scumbag lawyer got taken away by Roger, the homicide detective. He'd killed the family to keep them quiet about what the politician was doing to his children. Secrretly, Nick was kind of happy he'd killed the guy. The child rape cases got to him, mostly because he had been a victim of child rape himself. Of course, that was something he didn't share with just anyone.

Nick walked out of the interrogation room and was greeted by Harry.

"Good job in there."

"Thanks."

He glanced at his watch. It read 9:30 p.m. That couldn't be right.

"Harry. What time is it?"

Harry looked down at his own watch.

"9:31. Why?"

Nick didn't respond. He just ran to the nearest door out of the lab and to his car. He was late for the reservations.

--

He got to the restaraunt around ten o'clock. He walked in and was greeted by the maitre d'.

"Hello, wlecome to - "

"I'm looking for Carla Barron."

The maitre d' whiapered something in the ear of a waitress nearby. She nodded and left. Then the phone rang and the maitre d' ran over to answer it. Nick just waited patiently. The waitress returned with a frazzled look on her face.

"I'm sorry sir, but Ms. Barron left about an hour ago. She said she was tired of waiting. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. Thank you."

Nick walked out of the restaraunt and sighed.

--

He got home at about 10:43. He walked in the door, not knowing what to expect. Was she already asleep? Was she waiting up for him? Was she angry? Was she sad? He didn't know.

Once inside, he saw Carla sitting on the couch, watching a home decorating show. Nick knew he'd really screwed up then. Carla hated home decorating shows. They always reminded her of her mother,who was an interior designer.

"I'm home honey."

Carla just ignored him and stared at the television screen.

"Carla?"

She continued to ignore him.

"Carla, I'm really sorry. It's just that we were working a really big case and -"

"I don't need excuses okay?"

Nick looked into Carla's eyes. He could see how angry and upset she was that he'd missed their date. But Nick also saw dissapointment. Dissapointment in him. Dissapointment in their relationship. Just pure dissapointment.

--

"That should've been the first sign," Nick thought to himself as he read more of the letter.

_I'm not even sure if it really IS work anymore. Maybe you just don't want to spend time with me. But I don't know because we never talk._

Nick was stunned. Was she suggesting that he didn't love her anymore? That was crazy. Nick had always loved Carla. Ever since he'd met her, he'd only had eyes for her.

--

Nick was going out to meet his friend Marvin. He hadn't seen him since last year when they'd been in college together. He was just about ready to walk out the door when the phone rang. Nick rang to pick it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey Nick. It's Marvin."

"Oh hi Marvin. You aren't cancelling on me are you?"

"Oh no. I was just wondering if I could bring a friend."

"Oh yeah sure. Is it anyone I know?"

"No I'm pretty sure you don't know this person, but I'm sure you'll like them."

"Okay then, well I'll see you soon."

"Kay, bye."

"Bye."

Nick hung up the phone and shook his head. If he knew Marvin well enough, and he did, he knew that he was bringing a girl. And that he was trying to set Nick up with this girl.

--

He got to the restaraunt and sure enough, Marvin was sitting there with a girl. She was probably the prettiest girl Nick had ever seen. She had short, curly, blonde hair and green eyes that sparkled in the sun. He walked over to the table.

"I knew you were bringing me a girl, Marv, but I never thought she'd be so pretty."

The girl giggled. Marvin turned around and saw Nick.

"Hey Nick! Pull up a chair man. Let me introduce you to the pretty lady."

Nick sat down in the third chair at the table. Marvin began to introduce them.

"Nick Stokes, this is Carla Bisson -"

"Umm, it's Barron," Carla corrected.

"Right. Anyway, Carla, this is Nick."

She smiled at Nick and stuck out her hand.

"Pleasure to meet you."

Nick shook her hand.

"Same."

--

The lunch went fairly well. Marvin had planned to spend the lunch trying to initiate conversation between Nick and Carla, because he knew that Nick wasn't a really talkative person around people he didn't know. But with Carla, it was non-stop chatter. Marvin didn't even need to try to get them to talk. The two had clicked instantly. He just sat back, ate his lunch and watched his friend fall in love.

--

"Why can't we talk like that now?" Nick asked himself. He couldn't even remember a conversation they'd had in the past week. It had gone from non-stop conversation to barely saying "Good night". How had it even happened.

_Nick, I need someone who'll be there, and right now, you're not that person. So this is goodbye. I love you._

_Carla_

The letter shook in his hands. He angrily threw it, but, being paper, it just flew up in the air and aimlessly towards the floor. He knew she was right. He felt stupid for not realizing that she was leaving before it had happened. All the signs had been there, but he had been so blind to them.

He shut off the light and lay his head against the pillow, but he couldn't fall asleep without her there.

--

**NP: Hi everyone. Long time, no stories. Anyway, this story was one I wrote for the Nick Song Fic challenge over on Talk CSI. It was the first one I entered and I'm really proud of it :) So I hope you guys enjoy the story and please review :) I like reviews a lot.**


End file.
